Balance is Always Key
Overkill is worse than falling short. Moderation in all things. These are the timeless proverbs our elders love to trot out, but their golden wisdom hasn't faded one bit. In modern times, they've evolved into the beautiful phrase "no brain farts." In short, everything in moderation.
Even if eggs go great with mild instant ramen, dumping three in and stirring it up doesn't make it ramen anymore—it's egg drop soup. Same with fire chicken noodles, ramen, or cheese. Put in too much of a good thing, and it turns into a brain-fart dish. But Koreans, who suspiciously adore these brain-fart creations, actually enjoy making them. More than enjoy—they take pride in it. Garlic was the prime victim.
Garlic in cooking? Sure. But what of it? Italian big-noses crush a single clove and call it a day? Pfft. That barely gives any flavor. Go grab some peeled garlic—about three heads' worth. Foreigners recoiled in horror at these Korean brain-fart feasts, but Koreans gobbled them up happily. It was the spice-loving spirit of ancestors who chomped raw mugwort and garlic like snacks.
So the black-haired alien wizard from another world, Ian, couldn't spot what was wrong with Mani Campbell's "Garlic Ginseng Chicken Soup." It was just plain boiled chicken with garlic, right? Plain? Ordinary? In the land of one-eyed men, a two-eyed guy is abnormal. And a one-eyed stranger in a two-eyed village? Total lunatic to anyone watching.
Even fellow mage Mani recoiled at Ian's mad feast. "S-stop eating! You can stop now!"
Mani could easily guess Ian's mindset. She served up crazy food, so if I go even crazier, she'll surrender! Pure mage logic. As Ian chomped boiled garlic like a bear hibernating in a cave for a hundred days, even Mani had to freak out. She'd never seen a plant mage witness anything like it. Who the hell devours whole boiled cloves like that?!
But contrary to Mani's thoughts, Ian's act wasn't performative. He was... genuinely savoring the squishy texture of boiled garlic...!
In truth, Ian was a hardcore Korean who could munch raw garlic straight. To him, this pseudo-Korean dish after over a decade was pure bliss. As he tore into chicken with well-crushed garlic, Mani finally snapped.
"What? Stop eating?"
"Yeah. I get your resolve. You're one tough bastard!"
"...?"
Ian tilted his head innocently, earning admiration from the knights and fury from Mani at his shamelessness.
'A total eccentric mage, but...'
'...he's helping us now.'
The Dehitri brothers, who had studied scriptures with Ian, nearly teared up at his self-sacrifice. For near-strangers like the Santiago Knights... going this far!
"In my forty years as a plant mage, I've never seen a tougher nut like you."
"What did I even do...?"
Suddenly branded a "tough bastard," Ian felt a bit wronged. Was enjoying food a crime around here?
Mani turned gravely to the knights. She didn't know where they'd dug up this maniac, but since he'd devoured her food with gusto, she had to treat them as guests.
"What's your name?"
The mood turned deadly serious; Ian couldn't keep eating. Regrettably, the boiled chicken ended here.
"Ian. Ian Eredis Raven."
No sooner had Ian introduced himself than Mani's face lit up in shock.
"Eredis? Disciple of the pyromancer Eredis?"
"Yes."
Ian nodded. As expected, Mani knew her. Mages of that age bracket would.
"Good heavens...!"
Mani looked mortified. "What have I done! I heard Eredis took a disciple, but I never dreamed you'd come to me!"
She bolted up and dashed to the kitchen. "I'll bring proper food—eat up and let's talk!"
"No, I don't need—"
Ignoring him, Mani prepped new dishes. In her absence, the knights flashed bright grins and thumbs-up.
"Brilliant performance, brother!"
"Knowing you're a mage is so reassuring!"
"..."
All Ian had done was eat the soup. Still, the knights were now official guests.
The meal Mani brought was "proper food." Pepper-crusted roasted meat with a smidgen of veggies. And frothy boiling beer.
"Sorry for the nasty trick. This is my apology—dig in!"
"Yes, sir!"
The knights finally cheered, clinking mugs. They tore into meat and chugged beer like fiends. Pure meat diet? No complaints. Veggies? Talk is cheap. Hands of Uma Musume folk? Ian poked at his meat glumly. Aaah. Back to super-salty gruel...
The pepper sprinkle was a plant-mage consolation, but it was still salted meat.
'My boiled chicken...'
As knights feasted, Elder, Mani, and Ian discussed plans.
"So... hunting a manticore?"
Mani's face darkened at the name. She knew the horror the knights faced.
"Won't be easy. Hunters already fell to it."
From the manticore's emergence, Countess Catania had recruited hunters. Pros like the Santiago Knights would have been ideal, but they got low-tier ones. All wiped out. That's when the manticore's infamy reached the knights.
"We know. It's a sneaky, cunning beast."
"Ever hunted one?"
"A few times, back in the day."
Elder said casually.
"That simplifies things. I'll join you."
"You sure?"
Shockingly, Mani declared she'd hunt it herself. Elder and Ian gaped at the frail mage volunteering. But Mani didn't blink.
"Of course. Manticores can't be left alone. For the forest's sake, I'll help."
Elder sensed their odds skyrocketed. To forest-dweller Mani, the manticore was a pest. She wanted it gone too. But she hadn't aided the countess's hunters—they looked doomed. She'd just tossed potions. As predicted, they failed. But the Santiago Knights? They might win. Their gear was solid, and that burly old man's skill was no joke.
"What about you?"
"Me?"
Ian smiled awkwardly. He'd connected them; his job was done. But Mani knew Eredis...
"If Eredis taught you well, you'll pull a mage's weight. Lend your wisdom to the knights?"
"..."
Mani was older than Eredis but saw her as a friend from wandering days. Eredis had warned Ian: mages get entangled in the world inevitably. This was it.
Ian had no need to hunt manticores. He could ignore her, but it'd awkward with Eredis later. Bad rumors in mage circles could isolate him. Mages seemed lone wolves, but they held regular meets via the "Mage Academy." To protect wanderers and use mysteries righteously. Ian needed those ties for his career.
No choice.
Once Mani asked personally, it was spilled milk. Too late to bail. Better hide reluctance. Outburst would ruin everything.
"Truth is, I wanted to witness the manticore's evil firsthand."
"Oh ho. Probing beast mysteries?"
Elder chimed in at Mani's question. "Rumor has it he summons drakes."
"Drakes?"
Mani's eyes sparkled. Beast-mystery seekers were "summoners." Few young ones handled drakes like Ian.
She figured he was beast-beloved, maybe why Eredis mentored him.
"He commands rivers too."
"Rivers? Hydrokinesis?"
Elder recapped River Bill. Mani couldn't hide awe. If true, Ian's feats were tough without the river's favor...
"Oh. And he calls darkness."
"...Darkness?"
Mani stared incredulously. Summoning aside—hydrokinesis and umbrakinesis? When and how did he probe all that?!
Ian ignored her curious gaze. No explaining his cheater Status Window. Even if tied to some god.
"Mages need diverse experiences."
Mani dragged Ian into the hunt to eye his skills firsthand. Magic was mystery communion. Like bodies first, then hearts—mages must get close to their mysteries. But even in talks, excuses matter. If a new friend nags daily with lame pretexts, you'd tire eventually. Growth was similar. Mages needed "proper" excuses to cast. Not idle hangs—movies, bikes, games deepen bonds. Same principle.
In a "must hunt manticore" scenario, which mysteries would Ian commune with, how? Picking them and framing pleas was pure skill. Mani just wanted to watch and advise. That was all.